Collapsible desk structure



G. E. MYCUE COLLAPSIBLE DESK STRUCTURE June 11, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 28, 1966 INVENTOR. 6020a Z. 177C045 June 11, 1968 5. E. MYCUE COLLAPSIBLE DESK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 6 08094! 5 Mnso:

Filed Oct. 28, 1966 lrraams' WHINJHN United States Patent 3387.882 COLLAPSEELE DESK STRUCTURE Garden E. Mycue, 1054 Blair Ave., St. Paul, Minn. 55104 Filed Oct. 23, 1966, Ser. No. %,365 2 (Ilaims. (Cl. 297-163) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable desk top removably mountable onto the back of a chair and consisting of a plate member having a bracket to engage and be secured to the upper back frame portion of a chair and a bail comprising depending legs engaging a lower rear portion of said chair, said plate and legs being collapsible to a flat condition against the back of the chair.

The invention herein relates to an improvement in a readily portable desk mountable onto the back of a chair and collapsible thereon. It is desirable to have such a desk as for classroom work wherein with the use of a folding chair, said desk attachment and chair may be collapsed into relatively fiat condition for storage.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a foldable or collapsible desk attachment to be removably mounted onto the back of a chair, and more particularly onto the back of a folding chair.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simply constructed desk attachment having a plate member forming a desk top, a mounting bracket comprising a headboard for said desk top and legs supporting said desk top in adjustable operating position and securing the same in collapsed inoperative position.

{ore specifically it is an object of this invention to provide a desk top in the form of a plate member hinged at one end to a bracket which is secured to the upper rear frame portion of a chair, said bracket also forming a headboard for said plate member and a supporting member in the form of a bail engaging a lower portion of said chair to support said plate member in operating position and being collapsible with said plate member against the back of said chair in storage position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view in perspective of the desk structure herein in collapsed condition attached to a chair;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the desk in operating position;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective showing both the desk and the chair in collapsed condition;

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation of the desk herein in folded condition; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that in FIG. 4 in front elevation.

Referring to the drawings, a folding chair of conventional design is shown comprising a back-rest or back portion 12, front legs 13, rear legs 14, rungs 16 and 17 respectively disposed between said legs, and a seat portion 19. Said legs are pivoted to said seat portion by rivets 20 and are coupled together by links 21. This chair forms no particular portion of the invention herein and is shown as a supporting means for the invention as disclosed herein.

Mounted on said chair 10 is a foldable or collapsible desk indicated generally by the character 25. Said desk is shown in a preferred embodiment comprising a plate member 27 substantially rectangular in plan forming the 3,387,882 Patented June 11, 1968 desk top. Said desk is preferably die cut from suitable sheet metal having depending edge portions 28-31 thereabout.

Pivoted to the forward or leading edge portion 29 of said desk top is a mounting member or bracket 34 generally triangular in transverse section having a length somewhat less than the width of the back-rest portion of said chair. Said bracket consists of a mounting base wall 35 having extended end portions 38 apertured to receive screws, a bottom wall 39 and a forward wall 40'. Said forward wall forms a headboard for said desk top, and is angled to be disposed generally at a right angle to a horizontal plane when said desk top is in operating position. Pivot means 43 comprising a piano hinge connects said desk top and said bracket, said hinge being respectively secured as by spot welding to the lower portion of the forward wall 40, as shown, and to the under side of the edge portion 29, which is not shown.

Secured to said side edge portions 28 and 30 are rivet secured conventional spring type clip or holding members 45 located somewhat rearwardly of the longitudinal center of said edge portions. Spaced somewhat rearwardly of said clip members 45 in each of said edge portions 28 and 30 are aligned pairs of open-ended slots 47 and 48.

Supporting said desk top 27 is a supporting member 50 formed as a bail having an upper bight portion 51 and depending leg portions 53 and 54. The upper portions 53a and 54a of said legs adjacent said bight portions are here shown being rearwardly angled.

The lower end portions 53b and 54b of said legs are angled inwardly and are provided with enlarged or buttonlike tip portions which retain spring type saddle clamps 57 carried on said lower end portions to embrace and be supported by said rung 17.

Operation The desk structure 25 may be mounted onto the back portion of a conventional type of chair, but preferably it is intended for use in connection with a folding chair as shown.

The bracket 34 will have the extended end portions 38 of its base or mounting plate secured by metal screws 32 to the rear side of the upper back-rest portion 12. By means of the piano hinge 43, the desk top 27 will be pivotally secured to said bracket.

The supporting member or bail 50 will have its saddle clamps 57 embrace the lower rear rung of the chair and will be swung upwardly to have its leg members become engaged in the clips 45 and thus said leg portions hold the desk top 27 in a vertically disposed inoperative position, and the desk structure is in a relatively flat out of the way condition when not in use. When both the desk and folding chair are collapsed, the whole unit is in a relatively flat condition for storage.

To be placed in operative position, the bail 58 is disengaged irom the clip members 45 and is swung rearwardly. The desk top 27 is swung upwardly and the bight portion 51 of said bail is positioned under said desk top into a pair of the aligned slots 47 or 48. The desk top may be inclined downwardly somewhat by use of the slots 48. With said desk top in operating position, the wall 40 of said bracket forms a headboard for said desk top.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a simply constructed chair mounted collapsible desk which is out of the way when not in use and which does not interfere with the otherwise use of the chair onto which it is mounted. It is simply and securely positioned into operating position.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible desk in connection with a chair having in combination,

a narrow bracket member,

means securing said bracket member to the upper outer frame portion of said chair,

a plate member forming a desk top,

means pivotally securing said desk top to said bracket member,

a headboard for said desk top formed by said bracket member,

a supporting member comprising a substantially U- shaped bail member having a bight portion and depending leg portions,

said bight portion being arranged and constructed to underlie said desk top in extended operating position, and

means in connection with said desk top to receive and hold said bight portion in a selected position to sup- 1 port said desk top.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said desk top has a depending edge portion thereabout,

and

open ended slots formed in said side edge portions comprise said last mentioned means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 125,521 4/ 1872 Beidler 297-191 877,216 1/1908 Moore 297-163 1,073,718 9/1913 Stubblefield 297-191 1,984,602 12/1934 Snyder 108-44 2,249,287 7/1941 Gearhart et a1. 297-191 2,697,019 12/1954 Stefan 108-27 2,787,508 4/1957 Math 297-163 2,921,824 1/1960 Richter 297-163 3,232,250 2/ 1966 Hamilton et a1 108-44 3,291,521 12/1966 Kruger 297-188 JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner. 

